Radiator lift



June 1, 1954 H, F, FAGA 2,679,684

RADIATOR LIFT Filed June 14. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig,

Harry F. Pagan INVENTOR.

June 1, 1954 Filed June 14, 1951 H. F. FAGAN RADIATOR LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Harry f. Fagan INVENTOR.

Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,679,684 RADIATOR LIFT A vHarry F. Fagan, Manhattan, Kans.

Application June 14, 1951, Serial No. 231,466

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a lift for use in the repair of radiators, particularly automotive vehiole radiators, the primarybbject of which is to eliminate the manual handling of the radiator during the process of repair or testing.

An important object of this invention is to provide a radiator support and lift which can be readily and easily fastened to a test tank in any position to suit the repair man, which is provided with a hydraulic raising and lowering means, and which is further provided with various means for supporting the radiator in various adjusted positions to allow proper access thereto for cleaning and repair.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which is relatively simple to operate, inexpensive, and very eflicient for its intended purpose.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device shown supporting a radiator in a treating tank;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the clamping arms and frame supporting the same, some parts being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line l-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 55 of Figure 2.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification similar reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at I b is a conventional automotive radiator which must ordinarily be lifted and supported within an appropriate treating tank i2 for cleaning and repair, the treating tank being provided with the conventional angle iron supporting legs it. The present device is designed to support the radiator in any desired adjusted position within the tank and also designed to lift the same requiring a minimum of manipulation. The device comprises an hydraulic cylinder 16 supported in vertical position by appropriate ties and clamp l8 to any one of the legs l4, preferably at the corner thereof. Slidable in the cylinder is a conventional piston (not shown) attached at the lower end of a piston rod 20 which extends through the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder IS, the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder having attached thereto a fluid pressure conduit 22 leading to a fluid pressure supply (not shown), it being understood that there will be a conventional valve in the conduit for selectively admittingand releasing fluid pressure in the cylinder to raise and lower the piston red 29. Rotatably mounted upon the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder I6 is a tube 24 which is open at its lower end and. closed at its upper end as at 25, the latter bearing upon the upper free end of the piston rod 20 Thus the raising and lowering of the piston rod will raise and lower the tube 24, the-latter being capable of rotary movement about the hydraulic cylinder I 6.

Welded or riveted transversely to the tube 2% is a collar 28 which slidably receives one end 39 of an arcuate swing arm 32, the end 38 being provided with longitudinally spaced, vertically aligned pairs of apertures 34. A pin 36 is provided which can be-made to extend through a pair of vertically aligned apertures in the collar 28 and a selected pair of apertures 34 in the swing arm 32, as'shown clearly in Figure t, so that the arm can be'adjustedlaterally of the axis of the cylinder 16 and the tube 2 5. Thus the arm cannot only be adjusted in this position but, because it is mounted on the rotatable tube 24, can be swung with the tube about the axis of the cylinder I6 towards or away from the treating tank.

A tubular bearing 49 is provided which is integral with or secured to the lower end of the swing arm 32 and extends laterally with respect thereto, the bearing slidably receiving a substantially tubular frame 42 held in position therein by a suitable cotter pin 44. The frame 42 is rotatable in the bearing and. may be retained therein in any adjusted position of rotation by an appropriate set screw 45 extending through one side of the bearing adapted to engage the frame as will be readily understood.

The end of the frame opposite the location of the cotter pin is somewhat flattened and includes a pair of integral spaced lugs 48 through which a headed pin 50 extends retained thereon by a suitable closure nut 52. Extending through and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular frame 42 is a pair of spaced bars 54 and pivoted between the ends of the bars as at 56 is a pair of angulated opposed clamping arms 58 and Bil. To adjustably retain these opposed clamping arms in a desired position towards or away from each other to accommodate radiators of different size, the following means is provided. At the corner of each clamping arm is appropriately secured an upstanding boss 62 having a diametrical aperture or bore therethrough slidably receiving an elongated rod 64 which has a hook 66 at one of its ends engaging the pin 50 between the lugs 48 of the frame 42. The other end of the rod 64 is threaded as at 68 upon its threaded end is=received an appropriate wing nut 10 which can be made to bear against the boss 62.

As is evident from the drawings, two rods 64 are,

employed, one for each clamping arm 58 and 60, so that the adjustment of the wing nuts 10=will retain the arms in any desired adjusted position towards or away from each other;

The free end of the clampin uarms 58 andfifl mount spring-tensioned cooperating radiator gripping clamps 12, the detailed construction of which is shown clearly in-Figure 5. Each clamp comprises a metallic -,plate 14* which is appropriately secured to a resilientor rubber gripping pad :16 having ,a preferably concave outer surface 18. A T-shaped pin 80:is hinged for horizontal movement in an appropriate sleeve 82 in the metallic plate 14, the longer arm of the T-shaped pin extending. through .the..free; end 84 of each clamping arm 58,60; The free end-of the longer arm of the T-shapedpin is threaded as at 96 and receives an appropriate'washer 88 and a closure nut 90 behind the washer, a coil spring 92 being,

provided which'iswound about the longer leg of the T-shaped-pin and is-disposed between the end portion 84 of the clamping arm and the washer 88.- Obviously,- the tensionof the coil spring 92 canxbe adj.usted;a s desired by the closure nut :90.

Thus itwill beseen that a novel and efficient, hydraulically operated radiator support and lifting device is provided which includes a rotatably mountedxswing arm to allow the supported radiator to be positionedwithinor easily removed from a treating tank and which isalso provided with several means 'for adjusting the angular position of the radiator in the treating tank so that access may-be;had;:toevery part of' the radiator-for the 'cleaning-and-repair thereof with a minimum of effort and-interference.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device Will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment oftheinventionthe same is susceptible to ,certain clranges fully; comprehended'by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as :newzis In a radiator lift including a swing arm having 'a transverse-tubular end, a cylindrical frame member,rotatablyjournaled in said end, clamping arms having ends pivotally secured to opposite-sides of said frame member and having spaced apart free ends terminating remotely from ,said "frame 311161113981",- adjusting, 'means secured intermediate the --ends= of: said cclamping arms andextending therebetween for varying the distancebetween the spaced apart free ends, gripping members; pivotally and hingedly mounted on-the freegends of said clamping arms for securing aradiatomtherebetween, said adjusting means includinga pairof-rods having adjacent ends pivotally secured to saidiframe :memher and divergingfrom. said-. frame member, threaded remoteendson said r0ds,-bosses'extending from: the intermediate portions :otsaid arms and slidably receiving .;theremote, threadedends of said rods, and an adjusting nut received .onthe threaded sends 'or-said rods.

References Citedcin -ther file of' thi patent UNITED ,STATESPATENTS Number. Name. Date 1,432,725 Nolting Oct. 1'7; 1922 2,226,789: Tupy Dec. 31, 1940 2,497,600 Grigsbyn Feb. 14, 1950 2,567,384 Lietz; Sept. 11, 1951 2,576,660 Williams Nov. 27;, 1951 2,602,990 Ferguson Julypl5, 1952 

